U.S.- U.K. Cooperative Research: Molecular Modeling of Fundamental Mechanisms Governing Protein-Surface Adsorption

这个为期一年的奖项支持克莱姆森大学的Robert Latour和英国伦敦帝国理工学院的Larry Hench在生物材料工程方面的美英合作研究。研究的目的是研究模型蛋白的表面吸附行为。研究人员将在蛋白质结构的三个基本水平上研究控制蛋白质吸附的基本机制：一级（氨基酸序列），二级（螺旋，片状和环状分子链的配置）和三级（二级结构组织到实际的蛋白质结构）。将生物材料植入体内后，蛋白质迅速吸附在植入材料表面。生物反应和人体对植入材料的反应是由细胞对这种吸附蛋白层的反应控制的。该项目将促进我们对控制蛋白质吸附和吸附蛋白质构象的机制的理解，并有助于设计可控制生物反应的植入物表面的长期目标。它利用了英国帝国理工学院和伦敦大学生物医学材料跨学科研究中心在生物材料和蛋白质测序方面的专业知识。

This one-year award supports US-UK cooperative research on engineering of biomaterials between Robert Latour of Clemson University and Larry Hench of Imperial College, London, United Kingdom. The objective of the research is to investigate model protein- surface adsorption behavior. The investigators will study the fundamental mechanisms governing protein adsorption at the three basic levels of protein structure: primary (amino acid sequence), secondary (configuration of molecular chains in helices, sheets, and loops), and tertiary (organization of secondary structures into the actual protein structure). Following the implantation of a biomaterial into the body, proteins rapidly adsorb onto the implant material's surface. Biologic response and the body's reaction to the implanted material are controlled by cellular reactions to this adsorbed protein layer. This project will advance our understanding of the mechanism controlling protein adsorption and adsorbed protein conformation and contribute toward the long-range goal of designing implant surfaces for controlled biologic response. It takes advantage of British expertise in biomaterials and protein sequencing at Imperial College and at the Interdisciplinary Research Center in Biomedical Materials at the University of London.